Machine for making hat shapes



May 25 1926.

N. LEICK MACHINE FOR MAKING HAT SHAPES Filed Feb. 25. 1924 llgz cx/ as ma Maj,

Patented May 25, 1926 UNllEl) ST QEFEE.

NICOLAS LEICK, or PARIS, rnancn Assrenon TO THE socinrn LEROY at cm, or PARIS, nuance, a conronnrron or nuance.

MACHINE FOR MAKING- HAT SHAIES.

Application filed February 25, 1924. Serial No. 695,125.

The machines usually employed for making hat shapes consist of a foot operated press the movable platform of which carries the male part of the mould whilst the female part is arranged upon the stationary part of the press. In the open position of the press, the sheet of material from which the shape is made, is introduced between the two parts oi. the mould. This sheet should be perfectly stretched and it is therefore necessary to pull it by its four corners. For this purpose an operator standing behind the machine pulls the sheet by the two rear corners, whilst the operator who operates the pedal likewise pulls the two front corners. Each machine therefore requires two persons for producing the shapes. Moreover, the stretching is more or less irregular and depends upon the attention and the skill of the operator.

The present invention avoids these drawbacks. It consists in arranging at the rear of the press spring actuated grippers which open automatically when the press is opened so as to receive the corners of the edges of the sheet to be shaped, close when the pie.- form of the press ascends, and exert during the moulding operation, a pull upon the corners or the edges of the sheet so as to stretch same. I

In this manner one operator may be dispensed with for each press and a regular and constant stretching is attained until the complete drying of the shape in the mould. The arrangement may be applied to the stretching of any kinds of hat shapes, except shapes made on cord, for instance shapes made of cloth, linen, jute, esparto, satin, ve lour, etc.

A constructional form oi the invention is shown by way of example in the accon panying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevation of the upper part or" the press embodying the grippers arranged according to the invention.

Figure 2, a plan of the grippers.

Figure 3, a modified arrangement of the jaws of the grippers.

1n the drawings, a is the movable platform of the press which is operated by a pedal, not shown in the drawings. This platform carries the male part b of a shaping mould the female part c of which is secured to the frame of the press.

Upon the platform a are arranged, c cording to the invention, the stretching grippers (Z. For this purpose brackets e are fixed to the platform a, which are provided with longitudinal slots 0 in which may be lined supporting rods f by means of wing nuts. Upon these rods may be fixed at any suitable elevation the fittings oi the grippers (Z. These fittings are constituted by two sockets g and g adapted to turn relatively to one another and to be fixed relatively to one another by means of a screw 9 The socket g is adpted to slide along the sup-- porting rod f and to be fixed in the required position by means of a screw 9 In the socket is adapted to slide a rod (Z which carries at its end gripping jaws cZcZ or the gripping device. This rod carries at its other end an abutment (Z against which rests a spring (Z which with its other end presses against the socket 9 The lower jaw (Z of the gripping device is stationary whilst the jaw 65 is movable and is cominuously pressed against the fixed jaw by a spring (Z The upper jaw is connected by a thin chain 6Z6 to an arm (Z having notches d which is fixed to the frame of the machine.

The operation of he apparatus is as follows: The distance of the brackets c is first adjusted according to the size of the shape to be made. The supporting rods are then advanced or drawn back until the gripp" jaws (Z(Z off the gripping devices are st. ficiently removed from the mould so as to effect a sur'ilcient stretching during the shopoperation; The elevation of the gripping devices is adjusted according try the elevation oi": the mould and their inclination is adjusted according to the shape oi": the j s of the mould. Finally, the length of small chains Z is adjusted in such a manner as to keep the grippers open when the mould Z2 is in its low position (Figure After this adjustment been made the sheet of say cloth is introduced between the two parts i) c of he mould and pressure is exerted upon the pedal of the press (not shown). The movable platform of the press ascends together with the grippers, the small chains (Z becomes slack, the jaws the gripping devices close upon'the rear corners of the sheet of cloth, and the front corners are drawn forward. At the time oi shaping the gripping devices assume the position shown in dotted lines in Figure l and exert owing to the provision of the springs (Z a pulling action upon the corners of the cloth, the pulling action lasting all the time whilst the mould remains, closed.

The gripping jaws dcl may be detachably mounted so that they may be replaced by gripping jaws of a different form such as shown in Fig. 3. The springs (Z may be detachable so that they may be replaced by other springs of greater or lesser force.

It will be obvious that the invention is not limited to the construction above described and that it may be modified in any manner retaining the principle of the invention.

Claims.

1. In a ha -shaping machine, upper and lower mold members, one of said members being movable toward and away from the other member, supporting means carried by the movable member, posts carried by the supporting means, elements vertically adjustable on the posts, ant gripping jaws pivotally connected to said elements in such manner that the aws may be tilted vertically toward or away from the mold members.

2. A hat-shaping machine as claimed in claim 1 in which the jaws are provided with springs for closing the same, and means connecting certain of said jaws to stationary parts, whereby when the movable member is moved away from the other member, said jaws are opened.

3. A hat-shaping machine as claimed in claim 1 in which each of said elements includes a socket, a rod slidably mounted in each socket and connected to the jaws, and springs acting on the rods to normally maintain the jaws in a predetermined position.

4. In a hat-shaping machine, an upper stationary molding member, a lower movable molding member, arms pivotally connected the lower mold member, an element ar "anged on each post and having a vertical socket through which the post extends, a second socket member pivotally connected to the first socket member, means for relatively a ljusting said socket members, a rod slidably mounted in each of the second Jen ioncd socket members, a pair of jaws carried by each rod, a spring for normally maintaining the rod in a predetermined position, and means connecting certain of said jaws to a stationary post, whereby the jaws are opened when the lower member is lowered.

5. In a hat-shaping machine, an upper stationary molding member, a lower movable molding member, arms having their ends pivotally connected to the lower memher for movement about vertical axes, vertical posts carried by the outer end; of the arms and adjustable toward and away irom the lower mold men'ibcr, an elen'icnt arranged on each post and having a vertical socket pivot-ally mounted on the post and adapted to be fixed in adjusted position on the post, a second sociret member pivotally connected to the first socket member and movable about a l'zorizontal axis, means for relative adjusting said socket members, a rod sl a mounted in each of the second mentioned socket members, a pair of jaws carr' each rod, a spring for norn'ially niaintaii the rod in a predetermined position but per mitting the rod to be pulled by the operator when placing clothing between the mold members, and means connecting certain of said jaws to a stationary part of the machine, whereby the jaws are opened when the lower member descends.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto atfix my signature.

NICOLAS LEIGH. 

